The governor had attended the funeral for slain police officer Jay Sheridan in Limon and was headed back to Denver when he need to get on the conference call with Education Secretary Arne Duncan and reporters to discuss education reform.

The call was scheduled to begin at 2:05 p.m. Colorado time, so Hickenlooper’s entourage stopped in Agate in Elbert County and asked at the post office if the governor could use the phone.

The postal official there, Deanna Eastwood, was “a little surprised to see us but very welcoming,” Hickenlooper spokesman Eric Brown said.

Three councilors who voted on the ordinance to give council members a 6.6 percent raise by 2014 are vying to be the next mayor.

Most political strategists would likely advise any candidate to vote against a pay raise, going with the common-sense judgment that the public isn’t exactly thrilled when elected officials grant raises during difficult economic times.

But two of the three mayoral candidates on council voted for it — Michael Hancock and Doug Linkhart. Carol Boigon voted against the raise, along with Paula Sandoval and Jeanne Faatz.

The measure passed with a 10-3 margin, potentially handing raises to the next sitting council, mayor, clerk and recorder and auditor. The council will make a final vote on the proposal next Monday.

The most striking vote came from Councilman Michael Hancock, who in a previous meeting had said that he would vote against the pay raise.

Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, is scheduled to be at the Capitol Friday. He spoke to Colorado Christian University earlier this month. (The Associated Press)

For a while it looked like problems in the Middle East had moved to the Colorado state Senate, but détente apparently has prevailed.

Through a series of misunderstandings, Senate President Brandon Shaffer thought he and three other members of the Democratic caucus who are Jewish weren’t part of a breakfast Friday at the Capitol with the Israeli ambassador or included in a pro-Israeli resolution being considered that day on the floor. He complained of a lack of bipartisanship on the part of Minority Leader Mike Kopp, R-Littleton.

WASHINGTON — It is common to hear from Republicans, and Democrat Sen. Mark Udall, that they are for an “above all” approach for energy, meaning they favor oil and natural gas, renewable energy and nuclear power.

Yesterday, Rep. Mike Coffman, who sits on the Natural Resources committee with Rep. Doug Lamborn and Rep. Scott Tipton, all Republicans, said the crisis in Japan has hastened the need for introspection.

CALL FOR NUCLEAR INVESTIGATION: Senior House Democrats called Monday for an investigation and hearings into the safety of U.S. nuclear plants in light of the ongoing crisis in Japan — a plea that so far appears to be gaining no traction with either Republicans or the White House. In a letter, Democrats Diana DeGette of Colorado, Henry Waxman of California, Ed Markey of Massachusetts an Bobby Rush of Illinois expressed skepticism about industry statements that U.S. plants have adequate protection from dangers such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Politico

CHANCES ARE NIL: A nuclear power expert who’s involved with trying to build a plant east of Pueblo said Monday that chances are nil that Japan’s scenario could play out anywhere in this country. Don Gillispie, CEO of Alternative Energy Holdings Inc., in Idaho, said federal regulations require American plants to have multiple backup power and reactor-cooling systems that would have prevented the Japanese crisis. The Chieftain

BOULDER BUH-BYE: A group of Republicans from Eagle and Summit counties are going to a meeting in Boulder tonight to try to convince the state’s 10-member redistricting committee that the mountain counties should be in a congressional district with similar counties. Vail Daily

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.